Good afternoon. We've been powerfully busy up here at the lodge. With a nice Memorial Day weekend in the forecast my advice to the crew down below on off days is to catch your breath now.

The atmosphere was electric in more ways than one last night at supper. We didn't get heavy rains as I heard they did in the valley, but we were treated to an impressive lightning storm. I was standing beneath the overhang on the porch and saw one lightning bolt ripping through the sky--a jagged hypodermic needle delivering tough medicine to a tree between High Top and the Trillium Gap Trail.

Tuesday's high was 67, tying for the warmest day of 2013. The low only sank to 50 with 0.38 inches of rain in the gauge. Wednesday's forecast isn't promising, but we've had a nice day up top thus far.

The main subject of today's entry is Crazy Horse, the dependable, strong and proud. While I could be talking about the Native American, one of the most feared and skilled warriors in the sordid history of the "Wars of the West" (ask Gen. George A. Custer), today I'm talking about one of our finest LeConte llamas.

Crazy Horse is the most veteran of the LeConte string. Crazy Horse predates Alan, who is working in his 11th season as a llama wrangler, and is the last of his original team. "Crazy Horse is a really solid llama," Alan said. "The most striking thing about him is he has two different colored eyes--one brown and one blue. He's a hard-working guy."

Chrissy, in her first season as a LeConte llama wrangler, didn't hesitate when asked how valuable Crazy Horse has been in her inaugural campaign.

"Crazy Horse is a 'man's man' llama," Chrissy said. "He exudes his experience more than any other llama. This boy just wants to work. He's past all the games the other llamas play."

Crazy Horse packed up some groceries for us today and took down some linens to be washed. He'll enjoy life on the farm and be off for Friday's trip and the weekend before returning to see us on Monday (if the schedule holds to form). We salute Crazy Horse, the elder statesman of the LeConte string. Happy trails.

Crazy Horse, the veteran llama of the LeConte string, is appreciated for his strength and dependability.

al - S. MS

5/22/2013 09:15:19 am

"...I hope you're enjoying the scenery; they say that it's pretty up there. We can go hiking on Tuesday; with you I'd walk anywhere."

from "Come Monday" as sung by Jimmy Buffett

My wife & I are bringing up 5 "first timers" mid June. The count down is in progress... see y'all soon!

Starlit - N. MS

5/22/2013 10:57:08 am

My husband and I are bringing 6 "first timers" up on the 13th. Our countdown has begun as well. Excited and a little nervous, too! Praying for nice weather. Our five yr old daughter will be traveling with us.

doug y

5/22/2013 09:18:41 am

Very interesting story about "Crazy Horse". That's one stout llama. I volunteer often with Boy Scout troops and was telling a group of about twenty a couple of days ago about my love of hiking and camping in the Smoky Mountains. When I was a scout "back in the day" we always were immensely thrilled when an adult would take us camping anywhere, and a few times that was in the Park. Nowadays I can't help but wonder what scouts are learning. I talked several mintues before this group about Leconte Lodge in particular and what I knew of its history. I was surprised for a few seconds when one scout asked me why we even had such places like that and the National Parks like the Great Smoky Mountains N.P. I told him that in a country where every hour is rush hour, we have places to slow down amid a din of gadgets and machines drowning in factoids and fashions, places where we celebrate the quiet, remembering the language of our ancestors, the music of the wind, the heart fluttering calls of birds, ravens soaring on updrafts, the howls of wolves, the inmtensive stares of an occasional bear and her cubs, and the soft gentle presence of deer. We pull off the information superhighway and step into the folds of nature to find mystery and authenticity. Our hearts may then be said to sing. I hope I told this scout and his companions something meaningful.

doug y, do you mind if I quote this beautiful description of why we have places like LeConte Lodge on my facebook page?

doug y

5/23/2013 01:11:56 am

Lydia: don't mind at all; that would be nice of you. thanks

doug y

5/23/2013 01:30:03 am

Lydia: I just clicked on the arrow by you rname and got to Facebook. I've never used it before but I guess I should begin. I'll be lost on there for the first little while probably !

Tony Ga

5/22/2013 11:22:08 am

Finally we will summit the mountain on Friday!

Barbara

5/22/2013 12:06:23 pm

I love Crazy Horse! A very sensible llama indeed!

Debi

5/22/2013 12:56:20 pm

Hopefully Crazy Horse is teaching the younger crew of llama's the ropes. Its the same with sled dogs. But then some learn and some tend to just do whatever they want. Well said Doug, so very true. He just hasn't been taught the love of the mountain, or discovered yet like we have. Hes a child, someday he'll get it. Looks like your having a heatwave up there Nathan. Enjoy the warmth while you can.

doug y

5/23/2013 01:17:43 am

Yes, Debi, you're most certainly correct on that. One of the reason I loved to teach (I taught nothng but science for several years, occasionally other subjects, though) was that I felt like I was helping youngsters learn about the very earth they live on. We must take care of what we've been "loaned". I'd better end this message here before I really get to writing ! Rain and winds here but nothing too severe thankfully. It's about 8:15a now and I know where I'd like to be sitting !! G'day.

Native American Proverb: "Treat the Earth well: It was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children."

Cathy Higdon Brown

5/22/2013 03:23:21 pm

Just finished packing for a 2 night stay. Leaving Knoxville early tomorrow morning...see you guys a bit after noon tomorrow!!!! So looking forward to my annual visit.

doug y

5/23/2013 03:04:42 am

John R: I read that quote somewhere recently - - glad you posted it as it's absolutely true ! A little while ago, after first coming here, I went out onto my back porch to simply sit and enjoy another cup of coffee. But, after only a few brief moments I put my hiking boots on and grabbed my old tobacco stick I use sometimes as a hiking staff and headed up into the woods behind my house, which is a mere 120 feet from my porch. I walked only about a hundred yards or so where I sat down on a log to enjoy my surroundings. The sun was coming up in the east and several intensely bright rays were piercing the trees and leaves in a grand display of light. From yesterday's wind and rain storms there was still plenty of water on the leaves which was now dripping off because of an intermittent light breeze. These drops were glistening as they fell, almost resembling sparks from a welder's torch ! Magnificent. The air was clean and fresh, the ground damp, and the usual birds were going through their reprtoires of melodies. What more could a person want !? Of course I can only speak for myself, but right on my own property I have some of nature's finest ! No, it's not the Smokies, but it isn't far off !! A morning like this only makes my desire to go to the Park for somoe more hiking more intense ! It's easy, for me at least, to understand the influence Mt. Leconte and the lodge have over people, and isn't that grand !? Well, I'd better exit before I get really too long here ! I sincerely hope that everyone out on the trails right now has a wonderful day, and that all those who are eagerly awaiting their trips up the mountain have great hikes !! G'day again.............

jean d

5/23/2013 03:49:29 am

Doug y you are such a poet. I enjoy your comments.

Been thinking of writing about my 1st knowledge of Mount LeConte when I was about 5 yrs old.

Years ago, my father and grandfather built a cabin on the Methodist Assembly Grounds (cabin now belongs to someone else and has been modernized) with a clear view of Mt LeConte from the screened in porch. The porch rail was like a half wall and I could not see over it to look at the mountain. To allow me to see the mountain, Daddy cut a hole in the half wall just kid sized and covered it with screen, then explained to me about the mountain. He had grown up hiking around the mountains with his family and the whole family loved the area. Since then the Smokies have been special to me tho I don't get there nearly as much as we all used to do in years past. When the haze over Knoxville clears I can see Mt LeConte as well as Guyot and Clingmans dome from my home on one of the high points in North Knox county. Still love the Smokies and read High on LeConte every day. Love it.

Beautiful again! Thanks for permission to share one of your earlier comments. I have just gotten around to doing that if you want to check it out on my facebook page. One of my earliest hiking goals when I moved to this area was to become fit enough to be able to hike to Mt. LeConte by all 5 trails and stay at the lodge when I could get reservations. I'm at the point where I could make a one-way trip by Alum Cave Bluff trail, once I'm able to get a reservation. I'm on a waiting list but may have to wait until the 2014 Season if there are no cancellations. The Daily Posts and comments like yours are an inspiration to never give up my dream of making it there some day. Thank you to whoever thought of it to all those who have been responsible for the Daily Posts portion of this website.

Kent

5/23/2013 04:58:08 am

"Today is a good day to pack linens to the LeConte Lodge." -- Llama Crazy Horse

Sorry about that. :(

Seriously, it sounds like Crazy Horse is one solid llama with an excellent work ethic. Respect.

Deedee\mi

5/23/2013 03:55:13 pm

Hm.. I wonder if the llamas enjoy their work....or if it's just 'heigh-ho, heigh-ho it's up LeConte we go'..? Drudgery :(

doug y

5/23/2013 05:48:30 am

jean d: thank you; Your story was heart-warming for me. I can only imagine how pleasurable it has to be to be able to see those mountains from home. I really must find a place as near the Park as I can ! as it is now, it's about a 2 1/2 - 3 hr drive for me to get "into" the Park, but when I'm headed toward it, time does not exist ! G'day.

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LeConte Lodge

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